Beach Girls
by lysser8312
Summary: Years ago 3 girls grew up in Tree Hill as best friends and formed a bond they thought would last. As time drew them apart one was lost. Her daughter and widowed husband return to find her mother's past and find a new life.
1. Summer of 2004

**Title - Beach Girls**

**Rating - PG-13**

**Disclaimer - I own not one thing about One Tree Hill or anything or event that this story is based on. I have not taken any direct quotes from this story, but I have used the basis and the plot that occurs.**

**Summary - Years ago 3 girls grew up in North Carolina as best friends and formed a bond they thought would last. As time drew them apart one was lost. Her daughter and widowed husband return to Tree Hill to find the beach girls of her mother's past. **

**Author's Note - This story is based on the book by Luanne Rice, Beach Girls. I was reading this and it just came to me about the similarities. So, I decided a new story would work. I do hope you like this and review for me.**

**Chapter 1 - The summer of 2004**

**They had been** at the beach all day. The three towels were neatly arranged down by the water and they were laying on top under the golden sun. The tide was slowly moving up and the towels would need to be moved in order to keep their towels dry. But neither wanted to interrupt the June afternoon they were enjoying.

Peyton saw how easily the world changed. She knew about loss and grief from the age of nine. She had been drawing since before then and still could not draw a moment in time that she wanted to capture. Something always got in her way. The lighting would change or the trees would blow and wreck that picture that she had on the canvas. Drawing was the only thing that got her through most of the time though. It was the only way she could remember and the only way to keep all of her memories immortalized in time...

Haley would never let those thoughts enter her mind. Her older brother was one of the most popular kids, and only a year ahead of her. So, as long as she tagged along behind him, she was always safe and always protected by him and she loved him for it. She lay under the sun, enjoying every second of it. This was summer to her. Tanning with her two best friends and she knew tomorrow would hold the same day.

Brooke had never truly enjoyed just laying in the sun. She loved being with her friends and being by the water. The ocean was something she has always loved, it had power and no matter what it was always there. She knew that as soon as she hit the water the surge of cold and salt would tumble through her body, it always made her feel so alive to be by the beach.

"Guys?" Brooke said quietly as she lay back onto her towel. No one made the effort to reply as they enjoyed the laziness of the day.

"Ick, do we have to go anywhere? It's just a moment I want to remember forever," Haley said sitting in the middle of the two girls.

"Peyt, Hales, you two ready to hit the water? It's too hot here," Brooke said as she pushed herself from the ground.

The other two slowly followed and Brooke grabbed their hands. Her parents always believed they should be upbeat so Brooke repeated the actions and she was always the happy one out of her friends. She would make a whole mall happy if she had the time.

Peyton was looking kind of upset from where she was standing but Brooke tried to block that out. She avoided all emotions but happiness and usually limited her thinking time with shopping, boys, or the two girls standing beside her.

Peyton looked out to the ocean and closed her eyes for a second. Brooke caught this and smiled to herself. She knew Peyton couldn't wait until morning when she could be out on a boat in the ocean and sketching the world around her. She had been Peyton's best friend since they were in diapers and they were best friends until Haley came and completed their circle of 3. She had names for each of friends too. She was "cheery". Haley was "sassy". And Peyton was "broody". It was what kept their routine going.

* * *

**Haley and Peyton** didn't know just how much Brooke loved them though. She knew from the first time they were all together that she would do anything for them. She would take a bullet and die for them. They meant the world to her, and everyone else thought she just took them for granted. But they were her best friends that she knew could go any day. She looked forward to being back in Tree Hill every summer and having her beach girls back by her side.

"Why're we just standing here? Let's go!" Haley said grabbing them and pulling them towards the ocean in front of them.

"I..." Peyton said as she squeezed Haley's hand.

Brooke felt a chill run down her spine. Peyton saw the world in such a magical way and had such different thoughts that Brooke couldn't think of if she tried. She looked over to see Peyton's face, it was pale, and framed by her curls. She was thinking and Brooke was almost scared of what was going to come out her mouth.

"What?" Haley asked quietly while watching Peyton as did Brooke.

Brooke could see that Peyton was going to say something that they would probably ponder about for weeks after. She was an odd girl, but she had always appreciated nature and always had been drawing what she saw around her. She seemed to be a loner to everyone around her, especially the way she would go off by herself and draw her mother's grave. But no one else knew about the need Peyton had for love or connection, no one but Haley and Brooke.

Peyton would always come back with a story after drawing, though. One that enveloped Haley and Brooke into another world and made Brooke think of the children's books she grew up with. She teased Peyton constantly about never forgetting her two best friends when her face was on the side of bus when she was famous, but Brooke was jealous of Peyton's view of the world. Peyton was never selfish, and she just truly loved the world around her. But Peyton was so vulnerable too. It was like she traded her shield in, to see the world for what it was.

"What?" Brooke asked again.

"I just wish that we could stay like this forever. Like, we could always be this happy," she said simply.

"This is memories...we're a piece of history right here. So, keep it in your heart, Peyt," Haley said to the blonde girl on her left.

"Write a book," Brooke said, "about all of our summers here," as much as she hated to tell Peyton to do that she did anyway. She never wanted to be second best and if Peyton got famous then she would be.

"Let's go!" Haley shouted as they took off towards the water.

They were floating as Brooke tried to get the salty taste from her mouth. She never did like that one piece of the ocean, but perked up as Haley questioned their plans.

"So, what're we up to tonight?"

"I wanna see the moon," Peyton said as she focused on the sky above her.

"Ok, we can go to the bonfire and watch moon later. There's gonna be guys there!" Brooke squealed happily.

Peyton remained in her position. Her eyes up towards the clouds. She could only think of how many other girls spent their summers like this. All the other beach girls. Summer was in full swing and she was ready for it as long as it was with her two best friends.

WELL TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS SO FAR...I KNOW IT'S OFF TO A SLOW START BUT YOU'LL SEE. IT'S GONNA BE GOOD, SINCE IT'S BASED FROM A BOOK I JUST FINISHED AND IT ENDED JUST THE WAY I WANTED TO.

**NEXT - Jumping in years / meeting characters / getting to the plot.**


	2. Summer of 2018

**Beach Girls**

**Rating - PG-13**

**Disclaimer - I don't own a single thing from One Tree Hill or the book _Beach Girls_ by Luanne Rice. I loved the book and decided a story was in order. **

**A/N - **Ok, I'm unbelievably sorry I couldn't get this out sooner, and I hate to use the school excuse so I'm not going to. It's my fault that I didn't get around to writing this and I'm so sorry. The time between chapters will never be that long again unless I inform my faithful readers first. I hope you enjoy this. Remember the first chapter was set in 2004...we're jumping quite a bit. They were 16 at the time...you do the math.

**Chapter 2 - The summer of 2018**

**It had been** a long 14 grueling years since those unforgettable days on the beach. So much had occurred in each one of their lives that keeping in touch had been an almost unbearable task and they had drifted. Of course you always swear you never will, but when life gets in the way it's almost impossible to stay as close as you once were.

Little Maddie Scott knew little of her mother's past. It wasn't that she never asked, it was that she never got a straight answer. All she knew was that a very old friend lived here in Tree Hill, North Carolina. She had come with her father for their first vacation since...

She had asked many times on the ride from Boston, where her mother's friend might be and all she remembered from her mother was a red house that was impossible to miss. Her father had never truly answered though. He could only say that he didn't remember. He hadn't grown up there and didn't really like leaving their home in South Carolina. His only memory was of her mother who he met during one of the rare weeks he decided to join his mother and father.

Maddie remembered very few stories her mother had told her when she was much younger, but a few did manage to stick out. Her very own mother had spent so many childhood summers here in Tree Hill. It looked pretty dull to her, but her mother had made best friends and met the man of her dreams in this dreary town. So, it had to be worth something.

So many years with her Aunt Haley and her mother's other best friend who lived in that red house. Walking along the beach was like a time capsule into her mother's past. Until the sand burned her feet and a girl who was about her age let her have half of the towel she was on.

"Um thanks," Maddie had said to the brunette beneath her vision.

"The sand gets hot around here...you don't live here do you?"

"No, me and my dad are just on a vacation. What's your name?" Maddie asked.

"I'm Jenny Jagielski. I live here like all year...I guess we just never wanna leave the beach," the young girl replied with a laugh.

"I'm Maddie Scott. My first time here," she said with dignity.

'_I wonder if it's any fun being here all year...I think I should get off of this towel_'_' _Maddie said to herself and began to get ready to step away.

"Um, so how long are you here for?" Jenny asked quietly before Maddie left.

"I have no idea, but before I go do you know anyone with a red house here? Like bright red?" she asked hurriedly.

"Nope, there aren't any red houses around here. There used to be...I think. That was the witch's house," Jenny mumbled.

"A witch? Like the kind at Halloween?" Maddie asked obviously bewildered.

Jenny just nodded and motioned for the girl to come sit back down. She quickly pointed to a big house back behind the rocks sitting in the blue sky. But the house was not red...now it was a light shade of yellow. Maddie didn't know if the house was really yellow or had just become tattered over the years and it was now an ugly shade of white. But who was she to ask when this girl was being nice enough to tell her this whole story?

"It used to be red when I was either really little or wasn't born. I'm not sure which, but my dad has told me some stories. He used to be friends with her before she stopped coming outside."

Maddie looked up to the house and could not accept that her mother's very best friend had been a witch. But there was no other houses that were red and she had been asking around ever since she had arrived. No one had even been able to remember Brooke Scott.

"So how is she a witch?" Maddie asked in a fairly high pitched voice.

"She doesn't come out anymore. She's very pale and she lives in like New York or something during the winter. She comes out at night most of the time and just watches her birds. She does like to draw and write books, or that's what I heard. She doesn't answer her door and she likes to go outside way before the sun comes out. She's been married like a billion times and she's gotten divorced every time. She even has a sign on her yard that like yells at everybody to stay away from her. I mean what kind of normal person does that?" Jenny asked in a way that confused Maddie even more.

Maddie just crinkled her eyebrows and sat on the towel next to Jenny. How was she supposed to go about meeting this woman if she wouldn't answer her door? But if she wasn't going to meet this woman then she would have a future she didn't want with her father and his new girlfriend Kate. She knew that if this woman couldn't help, then no one could. She stood up and became determined to talk to this woman.

Of course, she was scared. This woman was a legend in Tree Hill and a definite link to her mother. But she missed Brooke. The smile she always got when she walked in from school and the look in her eyes when she was tucking her daughter into bed. She wasn't quite sure how she could continue to live, but she had to carry on.

A witch or not she was going to help Maddie Scott. There was no way she was going to be here and not find anything out. She quickly told Jenny she hoped to see her again and began to move towards the old yellow house and to her mother's best friend, the witch.

* * *

**The River Court** in Tree Hill had certainly decayed since Lucas could last remember them. The asphalt was broken up and when he was a kid this was like a sanctuary on the weekends he had come. He used to love this court, but now it was old just like his memories of when he was happy.

"Ha, I'm beating you," Kate said as she tapped Lucas on the shoulder and continued running with the ball. He faked a small smile as he watched her slender figure cross the court. She was tall and athletic, not built like Brooke. Her hair was a dirty blonde, pulled back behind her head. He knew a lot of guys who would've killed to have her, but she wanted him apparently. He quickly took the ball and put it through the net to make the winning point.

"How do you do that?" she asked him playfully as she fell into his arms, kissing him.

"Eh, with talent," he replied flexing his arms.

"Oh, don't start getting egotistical, you. I'll have those arms if I want them," she said as she laid a hand upon his arm.

Lucas let out a small chuckle as she pulled him in for another kiss and he willingly accepted. She felt so small when she was in his arms and it reminded him of the memories of the time he once shared with his wife.

"Should we go for a swim?" she asked the blonde holding her.

"I kinda wanted to spend some time with Maddie if you don't mind," he said holding his breath, not wanting to make her mad.

"She said she wanted to go make some friends tonight. She ran out of the house around the time I pulled up to make sure I wasn't staying any longer than today. She really doesn't want me around," Kate said, with a small frown.

"She does, she's just still in a fragile state," he responded pulling her close.

"Yea ok...and I'm just being close friends with you," she snorted at his answer. "My parents were divorced, I know what it's like to not want anyone else with your father...afraid the other girl is going to take him away from you. I get that, but don't you worry. She'll like me."

"But we're not divorced," he said quietly. He felt her nod in his arms and suddenly regretted the whole thing with Kate. His little girl meant the world to him.

**They were heading** back to his house to work on the construction plans for the bridge over in England somewhere. He wasn't going to let her get out of hand while they were there. He was 30 years old and his whole life was falling apart around him. She was 20 and her life was just starting. There was so much that was different between them.

Lucas had been in Boston where his home was, working on plans for this bridge. Kate had been a partner on the plans and one thing had led to another over time. She had been in his business only a year and she was more or less a newbie. He liked most things about her except for the age gap.

He wondered constantly how she didn't know that they weren't as close as they could be. He didn't want the people around him to know that he was with her. She was so young. How could he be with someone who was closer in age to his 11 year old daughter than himself. He and Brooke had Maddie young so it was hard to find a woman who wanted an 11 year old daughter who was his age.

He met Brooke at a basketball game on the River Court one night. It was a magical night when he found her. She was only a year younger...the same age as his sister. Here he was reliving all these memories because he had a feeling he needed to come back here.

Brooke was gone though and he was numb. Kate was whispering things in his ear that were not exactly PG-13 and a small grin came through but it meant nothing. That grin didn't really mean he was happy. He hurt too much to be happy right now.

The irony was that he was about 6 foot and could take on any guy in basketball including his brother-in-law and he could take on anything that came his way, but he couldn't feel anymore. He only felt depressed. This was not what he had pictured his life to be. No one knew what he was feeling though. Not his close friends from work, not anyone who he hung with, not Kate and not his own sister Haley. Only his daughter, and he hated that she did.

* * *

**Maddie was walking** back to the house they rented and was just in view to see her father and Kate pulling away from a kiss. It made her want to gag and cry at the thought of her father with another woman. She quickly turned away from that house and set off to the witch's house with a new determination stronger than before.

The sky was growing darker, for a storm, when Maddie marched up to the front of that old house. Never vacationing here was not helping her conscience. She was a tourist. They had always gone to Virginia or somewhere, anywhere other than here. It hurt that her mother wanted to keep her family away from her childhood.

She stalked to the front of the house and was very sure until the sign came into view. It read in big, bold, capital letters: DON'T COME NEAR! GO AWAY NOW!

A piece of wood held the neat writing and Maddie took two steps back. What if this woman yelled at her and really was a witch? Then she casted a spell and Maddie died on the rocks? But then there was the possibility of her just being shy. Maddie weighed out the pros and cons, then decided to continue on with the mission. She ran to the house, ran to her mother's past, and to a friend who knew her mother better than most, but the trip was difficult considering her sandal got stuck on the ledge of cement and she went down face first and her hands didn't catch her in time.

* * *

**Peyton Sawyer had** been drawing at the kitchen table when something caught her eye from the window. Her small dog, who went everywhere with her was sitting on the chair next to her. Oreo was a fairly old Pomeranian who had been by Peyton's side ever since she was 17. Oreo was watching the drawing of a small bug in the picture and began to bark loudly at it.

"Oreo, shh!" Peyton hissed as her concentration broke. Her eye traveled towards the window when a small figure caught the corner of her eye just in time for her to see the spill the young girl took. _'Children just can't read'_ Peyton thought as she rushed to the door.

She immediately ran outside to see the girl in tears on her sidewalk. She was trying to pull herself from the ground with a scratched forehead, chipped tooth, bloody knees and toe, scratched cheek, and a bloody nose too. The 11 year old looked up to the blonde and Peyton caught a sight that made her heart skip a beat. It was like a teary eyed Brooke looking at her. It scared her half to death.

"Oh my god" Peyton said exasperated. The little girl in front of her was a mess. Maddie broke into tears from the combined pain. Her mother was gone, she found her friend, and she was hurting from the physical fall.

"Is it really you?" Maddie asked through the cloudy tears.

Peyton was confused, thinking maybe the girl had seen her books. She had just thought the young girl just was a raving fan who wanted another book. She saw the girls eyes once more, and realized that wasn't it.

"You were my mom's friend," she whispered.

"Your mom?" Peyton was now even more confused than before.

"Brooke Davis?" Maddie said, hoping beyond hope that she was the right woman. "Well, that's what you knew her as before she got married."

"Wow," Peyton said when she sat next to the little girl. The shock was running through her blood. That name, alone, brought back good and bad memories. "Well, how is your mom?" she questioned, obviously unaware.

"She's dead," Maddie said sternly, with her hand trying to stop the blood waterfall from her nose.

Peyton's whole world came crashing down with those 2 simple words. She was her best friend and she had no idea that she didn't even exist in the world anymore. Peyton once again stared at the bloody girl before her and saw Brooke sitting next to her. It was amazing.

"We need to get you cleaned up," Peyton said so softly that Maddie strained to hear her.

Peyton slid both hands underneath her and carried the injured girl into her house while the tears stung behind her eyes. The little girl was clutching onto her for dear life and it was then that Peyton realized the little girl was clinging to a link to her mother, the same as she had done when she lost her mother.

OK THERE WAS THE MEETING OF PEYTON AND MADDIE. LET'S SEE WHAT LUCAS THINKS. TELL ME WHAT YOU THOUGHT TOO. REVIEW!!

**NEXT - Is Maddie ok? / Some questioning and bonding of the girls / Lucas finds out / What's with Haley? / How's Maddie dealing with Kate?**

**I hope you all enjoyed it. I'm so, so, so sorry for the wait. I'll do better next time. Look for an update on _Lost in the Past_ next and then _The Saddest Song. _Will update soon!!!**


	3. Losing touch with the old, talking with ...

**Beach Girls**

**Rating - PG-13**

**Disclaimer - I don't own anything from One Tree Hill or the book by Luanne Rice. I'm just a huge fan of both!**

**A/N - **It's been a little while...sorry about that again. I ended up updating _Lost in the Past_ before this. So, if you'll take my apology it'd be helpful, lol. Anyway, this chapter has a little bit of drama and I hope you're all still reading this. My computer crashed recently and believe me I was freaking out trying to get it fixed for these stories. Stick with me, I'll be updating as much as I possibly can for you now! Tell me what you think!

**Chapter 3 - Losing touch with the old, talking with the new...**

**The blonde haired** girl carefully sat the smaller on the counter. She was seated next to the sink as Peyton whipped out some disinfectant and band-aids to get her cleaned up. Maddie winced at the sting of the disinfectant and Peyton told her to bite her lip to distract the pain. After all her wounds were bandaged and she was looking a lot better they sat at the kitchen table. The _'witch'_ got juice for the both of them and sat across from the young girl.

"You ok?" Peyton asked, very concerned with her condition.

"I'll be ok...I can see why my mom used to love this place," she told the girl across from her.

"It is nice here," Peytonadmitted smiling at the memories. "So, when did she...well," she questioned awkwardly fumbling for words.

"Last year...only last year," Maddie replied understanding the blonde's meaning.

"She was my best friend, ya know?"

"I know. She used to talk about you to dad...but she never said much to me," she said sadly.

"Why?"

"I dunno. I guess she didn't want me to know about her past for whatever reason," she responded with ease. Peyton was still confused at the answer but let it slip for the time being. "Could you maybe tell me some things about her?"

Being caught off guard Peyton faltered for a second but quickly regained an answer for the small girl sitting in front of her. She could only do her best for her best friend's kid.

"She was a great person and she could make me laugh no matter what had happened that day. We didn't fight much and when we did it was either huge or the stupidest thing in the world. We were best friends for like 12 years before Haley came along and when she came it was like our little circle just clicked. She was the missing link to our friendship. Your mom was the cheery one she was just never upset, she always called me the broody one, and Haley was sassy. We balanced each other with our opposite personalities. Guess that's how we became friends," she remarked with a sigh.

"How come you were never around when I was little if you guys were so close?" Maddie asked the blonde suspiciously. Peyton looked a little chagrined at the answer she was forming.

"We were only here in the summers most of the time. Only 3 months for us to have fun and do what most best friends get all year to do. That really messed with our little group. We visited each other as much as possible during the long 9 months we were apart. I even sold my clothes to visit your mom and Haley but that wasn't enough as we got older and made friends who would be around all the time. We had boyfriends and different people who pulled us apart from each other, but I loved them so much and it put a strain on all three of us. It was so hard during the winter and every summer got a little shorter until none of us had the time to be here. We had plans for thesummers as we got older, and soon enough we just kinda lost touch. I haven't talked to Haley in forever," all this talk made her sad. Made her think of the billion things they could've done to keep in touch.

"My mom and Aunt Haley saw each other a lot...I just don't understand why you weren't there."

"Your aunt? So, your mom married Lucas?" Peyton was shocked. For years he was Haley's hot older brother who got them into R rated movies when they were 16 and didn't have I.D's. But no one had ever dared to make a move for him. She had missed out on so much.

"Yea, my mom even said their first kiss was here. Under the boardwalk," Maddie replied with a dreamy look in her eyes. As though true love were right in her own backyard. Peyton giggled remembering numerous kisses the three of them had gossiped about. Peyton's _first_ kiss had been there as had Haley's but Brooke had always seemed above that tradition. So, it was strange to think about Brooke sharing a first kiss with a guy there and Peyton would've loved to rag on her for it. But instead of ranting she just nodded to the little girl.

"I don't know what to do," Maddie whispered and Peyton softened.

"About what?"

"Me and my dad live in Boston now but we were in Georgia and he just doesn't know what he's doing. He looks really lost and I don't wanna keep moving," she told of the information and Peyton remembered the feeling.

"He wants to get away from the memories. There's probably a lot that reminds him of your mom and it's gotta hurt. You're gonna have to give him time to get over it...he'll figure things out. My dad did," she mumbled.

"Your dad?"

"My mom died when I was about your age. It was just me and my dad too and he wasn't around much. Always fishing on his job...leaving me to fend for myself. He was a good guy but there were too many memories for him at our house. Just think of how lucky you are to be with your dad while he figures his life out," she said insightfully.

"Sounds like a poem," she replied smiling, "you should write something about that."

"I write kid's books but not really poems. Mostly about animals, I like to compare them to us. It's easier than writing about actual people. Your mom didn't show you any of my books?"

"She said they were violent. She didn't want me seeing the death and stuff with the animals. My dad didn't really say much about it...he just listened to what she said. I wanted to though," she said hopefully and it made Peyton feel worse that her friend didn't even think highly of her accomplishments.

"Oh..."

"Do you really think my dad will be ok? I wanna go home for school when summer's over. I love my house and my friends."

"I think if he just clears his head that he'll be fine. You'll get home...speaking of home where's your dad? Won't he be worried?" Peyton questioned.

"Yea, I do have to go. Um...I just kinda wanted to say thanks for talking to me. You're the first adult I know who listened, ya know? Everyone else just tells me it'll all be fine but you didn't do that. You just listened and that ," she said searching for the right words but Peyton got teary eyed all the same. Similar words had come from her own mouth.

**FLASHBACK**

"_No, it's not ok!" she screamed to the brunette in front of her. Brooke stood wide-eyed watching her best friend._

"_No, it's not. And it' probably won't be but we'll get through this, Peyt. I promise I'm here...you can talk to me. I'm your best friend," Brooke said in some sort of comfort. _

"_They all walk around and tell me 'I'm so sorry for your loss' and 'it'll be ok' but what if it's not?! What if I'm never ok? They don't know if I'm ever going to be alright but they lie and tell me I will be. They have no idea, Brooke! They never have," Peyton said hysterically through the tears. Brooke stepped closer pulling her best friend into a hug._

"_It doesn't have to be ok as long as you know I'll always be here. Always. Who cares if they lie...that's what adults do. And that's why I'm here, to tell you they lie but not me. Friends don't lie to each other. Ya know, maybe it won't be ok right away and if it was then that would mean you're a rock or something. But you, P. Sawyer are not a rock and you're upset and it's ok to be upset and need someone to help. So, let me help and don't listen to those asshole adults," Brooke said quietly to her friend and Peyton smiled hugging her tighter._

**END FLASHBACK**

Peyton's eyes teared at the thought. Brooke wasn't around anymore for any of that. The realization was hitting her harder than when she first found out. Maddie couldn't see the change in her demeanor though and still stood in the awkward air.

"You better get home to your dad now. Um, I hope to see ya later," Peyton returned. For the first time, in along time, she was actually hoping she would see this little girl later. One of the cooler kids she had met in years. But then again, what was she thinking? This was Brooke's little girl...of course she would be cool.

"Do you hope or can I really see you again, later? A lot of the kids said you never come out...always hiding. I don't know what you're hiding from but me...I'm hiding from everything that's gone wrong. You're the only good thing that's come from my mom dying. Please, can I see you again?" the little girl begged with tears threatening to escape her eyes. She contemplated the advantages and the disadvantages but the former seemed better than the latter. So she nodded and pulled the little girl tight against her, a hug, for some reassurance and wiped her tears away.

"You can come see me anytime you need a friend," Peyton whispered, closer to her ear. The little girl's face lit up and she hugged the blonde's waist tighter than before. "Now get outta here." Maddie giggled and scurried from the house while waving all the way down the sidewalk.

**She ran in** the front door to find her father with a scowl on his face. Katie was sitting on the couch behind him, looking as though she was oblivious but Maddie knew better. _'Oh, boy would I like to throw something at that little- '_ but her thoughts were cut out when her father questioned her motives.

"Where were you?" he demanded. He had been worried for quite a few hours and as much as his instincts told him to see what happened to her face and hands, his fathering skills said to find out her whereabouts first.

"I was at an old friend of mom's," she replied snottily. Looking over towards his - girlfriend or whatever - she frowned and made a face of disgust towards her. Lucas had looked down to find his daughter staring down his - girlfriend or whatever (he didn't know either) - and making faces that expressed serious dislike. He sensed some problems. He thought of it as intuition...any normal female would've said it was _obvious._

"Maddie, don't make faces," he told her sternly but she just rolled her eyes at her father. Yea, like she was gonna listen to him about her.

"I'm sure she's used to it...if I saw her on the street I wouldn't smile," she responded with a sweet tone. As though she loved the brunette on the couch. Katie gave a 'whatever' face and looked at Lucas for some kind of discipline for his little girl.

"Ok, enough! I don't wanna hear another word about Katie from you. Now where were you?" he repeated to his little dirty blonde haireddaughter. How she got his hair was beyond him. He had wanted her to have her mother's hair back when she was born but she looked beautiful to him either way - she was his baby girl.

"I was at mom's old friend. Peyton Sawyer she said her name was. I wanted to meet her," she responded innocently to her father. How could she not love him? He taught her so much...how to read, how to make good decisions, to stay loyal to all her friends and family - even if he himself had not done so.

"Ooo," the girl on the couch squealed, "Peyton Sawyer! I've read her books...they're amazing! I've just fallen in love with them," she said obviously enthused but Maddie just rolled her eyes yet again at the bimbo on the couch. "Would you like some of them, Maddie?"

"My mom told me they're too violent. She also told me to stay away from whack jobs like you who fall in love with animal books and offer to buy eleven year olds books that are made for 4 year olds," Maddie snapped and Lucas looked dumbfounded. _'Wow'_ he thought at the fact that his daughter just told off his - friend.

"Aren't you going to do something, Lucas?" Katie questioned ignorantly. He was sick of her...that was one sure thing. Yet, he was still intrigued by this Peyton girl. He'd heard of her books, Haley had tried to bring Maddie some when she was little. He couldn't remember Brooke mentioning any of her friends all that often though, maybe he missed that part of the conversation.

"Um, what happened to you?" He glanced at his daughter and heard Katie huff at his lack of discipline. Screw her.

"I fell up near Peyton's house when I went to visit. She helped me."

"Well, I don't want you back there till I get the chance to meet her...she's a stranger as far as I'm concerned," he ordered Maddie and she was annoyed. How could he do that?

"You can't do that! She's mom's friend...they were best friends before Aunt Haley too. I'll go see her if I want!" she retorted but Lucas stood firm in his decision.

"Maddie, c'mon your father knows what's best for you," Katie butted in. She came into the conversation like it was all her business....well it wasn't.

"Obviously he doesn't. Not if he thought you were any good for me to be around...I mean if he had any kind of brain he would've known you weren't good for him either. C'mon now, you're closer in age to me than him."

But, as much as that should've hurt, Lucas hadn't heard one word of it. He thought back to when he would see his sister's friends at the house. There was Brooke who had immediately caught his eye and then there was Haley who was his sister, and then there was that blonde girl with the curly hair. She was always very subdued and kept to herself, never too outgoing. She was a little less shy than his sister but not quite as outgoing as Brooke. A natural beauty, unlike his wife who spent hours with make-up. He would find out more about her.

"Katie, uh I think it'd be better if you left," he spoke and she looked quite defeated while Maddie smiled with satisfaction.

**I know things may be a little confusing at the moment but it will become clearer in further chapters. I hope you're enjoying the relationships...tell me what you thought. If you have any questions ask and I'll be sure to get back to you.**

**NEXT - Lucas will meet Peyton / Some more background info / Maddie & Peyton interaction / Info on Haley's whereabouts / drama and surprises...**

**Will update as soon as you review!!!!**


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